Beneath the Frosting

In the field of humanitarianism, there is a dictum that there are no humanitarian solutions to humanitarian problems.

We could generate a similar dictum in our works of compassion: there are no generous solutions to the problems that generate our compassion. We can get the kids up off the floor into nice beds; however, the families will still be in poverty. It fixes the problem of no where to sleep, but does little to address the larger problems related to poverty. This dictum does not negate acts of compassion, it just positions them in reality. Simple acts of compassion cannot remediate the complex causes of poverty and oppression.

We need not overstate acts of compassion. Compassion is what it is, not what it is not. It stands on its own. Compassionate acts are instances of exceptional love and mercy - signposts of the kingdom. They are not political or societal solutions to poverty. We can feel good about showing love like this, but let's not delude ourselves that we are doing more than we are.

At the same time, some people criticize acts of compassion because they don't do more than they do. Some feel that feeding the homeless is not a solution for homelessness and therefore would not feed them. That would be like saying that there is no use to washing your car because it doesn't reduce your car payment. You feed the homeless because they are hungry and you have compassion on them. There is a whole list of other things that need to be done if you want to help them out of homelessness.

I had a Christian brother tell me on my front lawn after helping us build some beds for children that did not have any, "What they need is Jesus, not beds." No, what they need is a bed to sleep in and Jesus. You build them beds because you have compassion on them in their poverty and their lack of means to ever get a decent bed to sleep in (or, you don't build them beds because you don't have compassion on them). If they don't know that even they can access the kingdom, you may do some other things to address this.

There is a distinction between humanitarianism and development. Humanitarianism addresses a crisis, development addresses the longer-term issues of poverty and self-sufficiency. You don't hold a class in farming techniques to a group of refugees fleeing a vicious and savage guerilla group (I may be pushing the analogy too far). Compassion is to spiritual formation as humanitarianism is to development. Its not that they are unrelated, though. They are tied together in some interesting ways.

You can do compassionate acts as a means of your own spiritual formation. Your compassionate acts can be the means of the receipient's spiritual formation. You can do compassionate acts because you are compelled to do them (the definition of compassion and a result of spirtual formation). You can do compassionate acts because it is the right thing to do and because you can. And you don't need any other reason. And you need not overstate or understate it.